Ahh, summer time… full of road trips, barbeques, fun in the sun, and giving back to the community, of course!

However, REALTORS®’ summers aren’t completely carefree. That’s why the Canadian REALTORS Care® Foundation is celebrating everyone’s favourite season by challenging REALTORS® to communicate how you are helping build better communities this summer. Two lucky participating REALTORS® will be selected at random to win $500 each in Apple gift cards!

How to Enter
Email info@REALTORSCare.ca with all the details of your summertime charitable initiatives before September 1, 2012. Please refer to the guidelines found on the Share Your Story page.

Contest Details
Two entrants will be selected at random within the first week of September 2012 to win $500 each in Apple gift cards. The winners will be contacted by email that same week with further details on how to claim their prizes.

Mark your calendars as the Board will be holding its Disposal of Assets Sale from July 17th to 19th. We have a number of computers and a couple of miscellaneous items that will be available in the sale. More information to come in the July 11th issue of Membership News.

As a reminder to all members regarding mass emails to other members, please keep in mind that others may not appreciate the volume of your emails, particularly if your listing is outside their area of interest. The Board offers a Bulk email flyer service that is sent out to all members on Tuesdays; if members would like to advertise their new listings, Bulk email is the perfect venue to do so.

If members do choose to email their listings to other members, they should seek permission first, as such emails may be considered spam. If a member wishes to be removed from your mailing list, respect their request.
The federal government has released two sets of draft regulations on anti-spam legislation. The first set of regulations included the following changes:

The requirement for senders to have expressly received consent, or to have implied consent from the recipient.

Requirement to set out general contact info typically contained in an e-mail signature: a mailing address, and either a telephone number providing access to an agent or voice messaging system, an e-mail address or a web address.

The requirement for senders of commercial electronic messages to provide an unsubscribe mechanism that is set out clearly and prominently, and is easily performed.

The second set of regulations is still pending and CREA continues to lobby for additional changes before REALTORS® and all businesses in Canada need to comply with the anti-spam framework, as soon as this fall.

m.REALTOR.ca for smartphone and tablet browsers
At the end of June, CREA launched m.REALTOR.ca, a mobile version of REALTOR.ca. This version takes advantage of a tablet or smartphone’s web browser (so no need to download an app) and features the functionality REALTORS® and consumers have come to expect from Canada’s number one real estate website – REALTOR.ca providing REALTOR®/office searches, ability to bookmark favourites, and simple search, among many others.

A planned update this fall will let the service auto detect your browser type (mobile or other) – until then, you’ll have to type in m.REALTOR.ca to access the service – make sure you bookmark the site on your smartphone or tablet!

ICX.ca app for Apple devices
The ICX.ca app will be available to REALTORS® and consumers very soon. Similar to the REALTOR® apps, the ICX.ca app allows Apple devices to find commercial properties across Canada. The app provides all the functionality of the ICX.ca website (search, find a REALTOR®, bookmark properties) in addition to using the smartphone’s GPS to find available properties near the user/device.
Stay tuned to the Apple Store to download the app.

REALTOR.ca app for Apple iPad
Due to popular demand, CREA expects to launch an iPad-specific version of the REALTOR.ca app before the end of July 2012.

m.ottawarealestate.org and OREB iPhone app
The Board also has a mobile browser and an iPhone app to make browsing OttawaRealEstate.org easier than ever when you are on the go.

Registration starts approximately four weeks prior to course date at which time the flyer/registration form can be obtained from the Board's page on www.realtorlink.ca and a notice will appear in Membership News. One copy of the flyer/registration form will be faxed to each office at the same time it is posted on www.realtorlink.ca.

Registration is by FAX ONLY – details on flyers. NO TELEPHONE REGISTRATIONS PLEASE.

Reminder:
You must swipe-in prior to start time and swipe-out on completion – otherwise you will not receive any credits. FULL ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED – NO EXCEPETIONS.

Each course flyer and confirmation shows the time, date, cancellation and attendance requirements.

Other education providers are listed and approved by RECO at www.reco.on.ca under Approved Education Providers.

OREA Continuing Education Mandatory Courses to be held at the Board Office:

(To register for the following courses, call OREA @ 1-866-411-6732 or visit www.orea.com. As OREA handles registration for these courses directly, the Board cannot guarantee that space is still available or that a class has not been cancelled due to low enrolment.)

RECO Real Estate Update – Residential:

August 10, 2012

November 2, 2012

August 24, 2012

November 30, 2012

September 28, 2012

RECO Real Estate Update – Commercial:

August 31, 2012

OREA Continuing Education Mandatory Courses to be held offsite:

(To register for the following courses, call OREA @ 1-866-411-6732 or visit www.orea.com. As OREA handles registration for these courses directly, the Board cannot guarantee that space is still available or that a class has not been cancelled due to low enrolment.)

(To register for the following courses, call OREA @ 1-866-411-6732 or visit www.orea.com. As OREA handles registration for these courses directly, the Board cannot guarantee that space is still available or that a class has not been cancelled due to low enrolment.)

(To register for the following courses, call OREA @ 1-866-411-6732 or visit www.orea.com. As OREA handles registration for these courses directly, the Board cannot guarantee that space is still available or that a class has not been cancelled due to low enrolment.)

Real Estate as a Professional Career
November 19 – 23, 2012 – Best Western Macies Hotel, 1274 Carling Ave., Ottawa

JOHN A.C. CLOUSTON, representing the firm of RE/MAX SUPREME INC., has notified the Board office of his resignation as a Senior Member, and accordingly, all sales representatives with this firm are also resigned from the Board.

The office of HOMELIFE CAPITAL REALTY INC., has moved from 2559 Innes Road, Ottawa to 2514 INNES ROAD, OTTAWA, ONTARIO. K1B 3J9. New Fax Number #613-837-6499 (The telephone number remains the same #613-627-4141).